How to Display Posts On a Page In WordPress

Having a dedicated page to display posts can be a game-changer for reader engagement on your WordPress site. By organizing posts on a single page, you offer visitors easy access to your content, making it easier for them to explore and dive into other articles. This approach doesn’t just enhance navigation; it can also improve your site’s SEO and ad revenue potential by encouraging visitors to stay longer. 

Whether you want to show posts in a grid, list, or customized layout, WordPress offers several methods to achieve this, from default settings to plugins and custom templates. Let’s dive into the best options for displaying posts on a page to suit your site’s style and functionality needs.

Understanding Pages vs Posts in WordPress

Before diving into the technical steps, it’s essential to understand the difference between posts and pages in WordPress.

• Posts are dynamic, regular content updates, typically displayed in reverse chronological order. They are perfect for blogs, news sites, and other websites that frequently publish fresh content.
• Pages are static, timeless pieces of content, such as About, Contact, or Privacy Policy. They’re meant to present essential information that doesn’t change often.

For most websites, displaying WordPress posts on a dedicated page helps keep the homepage clean and focused on core information, allowing blog posts to take center stage on a separate page.

Why Display Blog Posts on a Dedicated Page?

A dedicated blog page allows for better organization and provides a natural “content hub” for users, especially on sites with a lot of articles. This setup can boost SEO by providing a central location for blog posts, making them easier to crawl and index by search engines. It also encourages visitors to explore multiple posts, increasing page views and, potentially, ad revenue.

Using Default WordPress Settings to Display Posts

One of the simplest ways to display posts on a page in WordPress is by using the platform’s built-in settings.

1. Create a Blank Page for Posts:
   • Go to Pages > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
   • Name this page something like “Blog” or “News,” then click Publish.
2. Set a Static Homepage and Dedicated Posts Page:
   • Navigate to Settings > Reading.
   • Under Your homepage displays, select A static page.
   • Choose the page you want for your homepage and select your newly created page (e.g., Blog) as your Posts page.
   • Click Save Changes.

This method provides a straightforward way to showcase posts on a single page. By default, WordPress displays 10 posts per page, but you can adjust this under Settings > Reading by increasing the “Blog pages show at most” value. Be cautious about setting this number too high, as it can impact page loading times.

Displaying Posts Using the Latest Posts Block in Gutenberg Editor

For those who prefer more control without using plugins, the Latest Posts block in the Gutenberg editor offers an easy solution.

1. Add the Latest Posts Block:
   • In the Gutenberg editor, click on the + icon, search for Latest Posts, and add it to your page.
2. Customize the Display:
   • Set the Number of items to control how many posts are shown.
   • Toggle Display post date or Display author to give readers more context.
   • Select between Grid or List views, depending on your design preference.

This block method is ideal if you want a basic but stylish display. However, it has a limitation: it only shows up to 100 posts. If you need to display more, you’ll need a different method.

Using Plugins to Display Posts on a Page

For more flexibility and advanced customization, WordPress plugins can come to the rescue. Here are a few popular plugins that make it easy to display posts on a dedicated page with a variety of layouts.

Content Views Plugin

The Content Views plugin allows you to create fully customizable post lists. It offers a mobile-responsive design, supports grid and list layouts, and includes filtering options.

• Installation: Install and activate Content Views from the Plugins directory.
• Create a View: Go to Content Views > Add New, select Post under Content Type, and choose how you want posts to be filtered or displayed.
• Customization: Customize layout options like grid or list, select how many posts to display, and choose what metadata (like author and date) should be shown.
• Shortcode Integration: Once configured, copy the generated shortcode and paste it into any page.

Display Posts Shortcode Plugin

The Display Posts Shortcode plugin is another powerful option, allowing you to create a highly customizable list of posts without any complex setup.

Installation: Install and activate Display Posts Shortcode.

Shortcode Customization: Add [display-posts] shortcode in the content editor of any page. You can modify it to filter by category, author, order, or even display posts with excerpts and featured images.

For example, [display-posts category=”news” posts_per_page=”10″] will display the latest 10 posts in the “news” category.

Both plugins offer a lot of flexibility, allowing you to craft a display style that suits your website’s needs while giving visitors easy access to your content.

Creating a Custom Blog Page Template

For those with coding skills or who want total control over their blog page, creating a custom page template provides the most flexibility.

Note: This method requires some familiarity with PHP and FTP. Consider creating a child theme to avoid losing changes when updating your theme.

1. Create a Custom Template File:
   • Use FTP to access your WordPress files.
   • Navigate to wp-content/themes/[your-theme]/ and create a new file called blog-page.php.
2. Add Template Code: Insert the following at the top of the file:
   
   

<?php
/*

Template Name: Blog Page

*/

get_header(); ?>

3. Add WordPress Loop for Posts: Add a WP Query loop to display posts, like so:
   
   <?php

<?php

$args = array('post_type' => 'post', 'posts_per_page' => -1);

$blog_posts = new WP_Query($args);

if($blog_posts->have_posts()) :

  while($blog_posts->have_posts()) : $blog_posts->the_post(); ?>

    <h2><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>

    <p><?php the_excerpt(); ?></p>

  <?php endwhile;

else :

  echo 'No posts found';

endif;

wp_reset_postdata();

?>

4. Add CSS for Styling: Use custom CSS to style the layout to match your site’s look.
5. Assign the Template: In the WordPress dashboard, create a new page and assign it your custom “Blog Page” template under Page Attributes.

This method allows complete control over the look and functionality of your post page, but it requires more technical setup.

Using Theme-Specific Blog Page Templates

Many WordPress themes come with pre-built blog templates that simplify the process. If you’re using a theme with built-in blog layouts, you can often set up a blog page with just a few clicks.

1. Check Available Page Templates:
   • In the WordPress editor, look for Page Attributes on the right side.
   • Check the Template dropdown to see if there’s a blog or post archive option.
2. Customize the Template:
   • Once you select a template, customize the design through the Theme Customizer or by using any options the theme provides for layout, fonts, colors, etc.

Using a theme template can save time and offer a polished look, though customization might be limited based on the theme’s settings.

Enhance User Experience with “Load More” and Pagination Buttons

If your blog has a high volume of posts, displaying all of them at once may overwhelm readers. Adding pagination or a “Load More” button can improve user experience by breaking content into manageable sections.

• Pagination: Split posts into multiple pages. Go to Settings > Reading and adjust the number of posts displayed per page.
• Load More Button: Some themes and plugins, such as Content Views, offer a “Load More” option, which lets users load additional posts without refreshing the page. This keeps the layout clean and encourages readers to stay longer.

Conclusion

Displaying posts on a page in WordPress is a valuable way to keep your content organized and accessible. Whether you choose the default settings, plugins, or a custom template, each approach offers distinct benefits and customization options to enhance user experience. By experimenting with these methods, you can find the setup that best fits your audience’s preferences and your website’s style. A well-organized blog page can boost engagement, make content exploration seamless, and create a positive impression that encourages visitors to return for more.